Experts highlight H5N1 as a leading pandemic threat due to its widespread presence in animals and its rapid mutations.

Since 2022, more than 168 million poultry have been lost or culled in the US due to the bird flu, significantly increasing egg prices.

While the CDC states that there is currently a minimal threat to the general public, it urges precautionary measures for those in close contact with affected animals.

Critics of the US response describe the outbreak as a pandemic 'unfolding in slow motion', citing insufficient testing and monitoring protocols.

Health experts in the US are warning of a potential pandemic as the H5N1 avian flu virus spreads rapidly among dairy farms, with over 70 human cases linked to the outbreak, including the first confirmed U.S. death.

Ab Osterhaus has called for urgent efforts to manage H5N1 transmission in cattle and improve surveillance at animal-human interfaces to enhance prevention strategies.

Dr. Peter Palese emphasizes the importance of public education on safe poultry handling and biosecurity in agriculture to mitigate risks associated with the virus.

Experts caution that while human-to-human transmission of H5N1 has not been documented, mutations could increase the risk in the future.

These warnings coincide with alerts from the UK Health Security Agency regarding the changing characteristics of H5N1, which has been present since the mid-1990s.

International experts from the GVN warn that the poultry industry is at significant risk due to the virus's capabilities.

The Global Virus Network (GVN) has issued an urgent call to action regarding the rising threat of H5N1 avian influenza, emphasizing the need for enhanced surveillance and biosecurity measures.

In a recent commentary, scientists from the GVN discussed the current outbreak status in the US, highlighting risks to the dairy and poultry industries.